The Fourth's Legacy
by MistressWinowyll
Summary: The Rookie 12 have gathered at a club, the Misted Lotus, to prepare for the return of Naruto after going away for his training with the Toad Sage. For the sake of the story, they're all about 18 years old. Oneshot! Naru/Hina


I have wanted to write this for the longest time, but was going to try and incorporate it with my current story A Dark Influence. No matter how much I tried, I could not figure out how to do so by wrapping the story around this one part...sooo! I told myself just write a one shot. I can't believe how much easier it was to do just that. Enjoy!

The song I used for inspiration for this story is by Nickleback: Far Away.

Having it playing where I have it marked!

Disclaimer: I don't own or have any intentions of acting like I own the song or Naruto.

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At the Misted Leaf, Konohas popular evening restaurant and amateur band stand, the Konoha 10, since Naruto and Sasuke are currently not present, were gathering for a rare time off where the missions had come to a miraculous halt for about a week. Tsunade told everyone that morning they had high hopes of Naruto and Jiraiya coming back from their training mission within this time frame, so, in celebration of this, everyone was to prepare for this day by getting together and doing what they could to make him feel welcomed. She said there was also another announcement that would be made when the 'gaki' was back that he would be very happy to hear. The Hokage decided to add in as an after thought that the Misted Leaf would be a great place to gather after she let everyone off. They all agreed to meet at 7 o'clock for dinner and listen to the wild card band that Kiba, Shino, and Chouji were starting…but lacked any good singers or songs to sing about. Shikamaru had volunteered to sing, which surprised everyone. No one knew he could. It was when Neji announced that he could as well, everyone was convinced he was someone else in Henge. When he later mentioned that it was Hinata's mother that inspired him to sing, he did it in secret. They Hyuga's normally did not look favorably upon such silly antics like singing. There was no word yet of how their progress was going, but it was not something everyone had anticipated they truly took seriously. It was just another day for the Konoha 12...minus Naruto and Sasuke, of course.

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"That's very nice of you, but I'm spoken for." Hinata replied behind a nice smile, but her voice was tinged with patience that was becoming harder and harder to maintain.

Seventeen and still blossoming, Hyuga Hinata had transformed from the quiet, finger tapping, stuttering wall flower to a stunning dark beauty.

The days of over sized drab jackets and dark blue capris pants were a memory that she looked back on fondly. Her clothes were still modest by many means. She had not felt the need to show skin as much as Ino's dark purple mini skirt and bare mid-rift breast hugging top or Sakura's four slit skirt held together with loose belt buckles straps, spandex shorts and knee high boots. However, she did wear a light blue three quarter robe that fit comfortably, draped in a slightly revealing 'V' in the front of her smooth, creamy skinned ample bust that left men running into things in her wake comically. It was cut just past the swell of her tapered waist ended and the flare of noticeably generous hips. Well toned kunoichi legs flexed when she moved, her foot with strapped heeled sandals swayed slightly with her agitation after she crossed her legs.

Long straight indigo hair now spilled from her head down the small of her back, much to her father's approval.

Everyone in her family, Main and Branch alike had wore their hair in this manner as another proud symbol of the Hyuga name. No one had understood why Hinata had been so different as to wear it short, but many had believed that it had something to do with her being a failure when she was growing up. In that train of thought, they were right in part. She was a failure, something she acknowledged many years ago, but it was not all of it.

When she was growing up, her mother had always thought she was adorable with her hair cropped just at her ears and it was a bittersweet past that she held tight to in memory of her mother.

It was her way of mourning someone she loved dearly and would not come out of till well after her Academy years.

Long lashes and large lavender eyes peeked from under her straight cut bangs at the handsome, presumably wealthy young man that had offered her a drink a good while ago, then to dance, and then if she had an escort to walk her home.

This had been at least the seventh guy to come ask or bug the other kunoichi's with her to go on dates, walks, dinners, breakfasts, and even some if they'd like to meet their family.

"Don't you know who I am?" the young impertinent man stated with his hands fists at his hips, dark eyes glowering down at her.

Green eyes peeked behind long pink bangs snapped up from behind her drink, fists clenching just over the lip of the table they were sitting at.

Hinata, small smile and hand resting over Sakura's fists lightly, did not seem bothered by his tone what so ever. "Should I?" was her polite response.

Hinata had dealt with this kind of self importance all her life with her father, elder's, for a short time her sister. Neji had outdone them all with his ability to be politely verbally aggressive.

"I am-" he began, eyes closed and hand on his chest in preparation for this moment. He'd obviously found great pride and pleasure in heralding himself. That moment was lost to him by a firm hand on his shoulder and a growl from a young man with a leather jacket, dark brown hair, and two red triangle marks on his cheeks.

"Fuck off, looser." Kiba snapped at him.

A large white dog the size of a small horse growled with deadly promise behind him.

Hinata turned to the voice with scolding disapproval. "Kiba-kun, Akamaru-kun. I can handle this."

Shino stalked next to the startled young man, hands in his pockets of his hooded trench coat with his eerie calm.

"I think what my friend means to say is you've been told several times that the lady is spoken for," Shino announced in his droning monotone. "The fact you keep coming back is starting to wear out a welcome in which you have never been truly granted. If you don't leave on your own, you will be removed through means that will likely result with your safety being at risk. The second part of his comment," Shino tapped his glasses to center them higher on his nose, a strong showing of his ire against the intended suitor, "is because your relentless attempt at trying to impress upon her that you are someone special even though she has already told you she is spoken for. That you have not stopped shows a true lack courtesy for her or for the man she remains truthful and loyal to. It's highly disrespectful to the Head of the Hyuga Clan, to a great and personal friend, Uzumaki Naruto, and as a woman."

"Of course," Hyuga Neji intoned heatedly behind both Kiba and Shino, arms crossed, back straight, and eyes glowering, "if you don't do this on your own, I will make sure that when you do leave, it will be feet first."

"Oh, I want him to stay, Neji-san," A girl with short purple hair, tan trench coat, and fishnet shirt with leg greaves announced playfully, twirling a kunai with her finger. "It's not a night out unless someone bleeds."

She appeared from between Neji and behind the boy with her kunai at his throat in a blink.

She licked his cheek amorously, "You're going to be a good boy and bleed for me, aren't you?"

"Anko-san, stop it." Hinata frowned at her, hands balled into fists at her lap.

"I'm just playing, Hinata-sama…sort of." The kunai disappeared and she retreated back into her seat with a saunter of hips. "I'm just giving him options in case he chooses not to listen."

"You're all nuts," he turned around and almost spilled the drinks a blond with a purple outfit had on.

"Hey, watch it!" the girl next to her announced, long brown hair tumbled past her shoulders. She had her hands on the tray to help stabilized the drinks.

"You're cute!" Ino announced, but was already talking to his back.

"Awww," she pouted and looked past her shoulder when her tray of drinks settled on the table.

"I'm sure he could have been the one Ino," Tenten responded almost robotically, handing out drinks to her friends. "Let it go."

Tenten looked up at Neji expectantly, making room on the large circular bench seat for to join him.

"Not tonight, Tenten-chan." Neji said in a rare affectionate tone. He took her hand in his, kissed her knuckles and walked away with a wink.

Everyone turned at this except Kiba and Shino.

"Hey, guys! I got the bar-be-que! Now, I picked a few pieces already…gomen." Chouji announced with a big smile. He had thinned out significantly, but not so much in weight as he had in body fat. After all his years of gluttony, he had focused his strength on more of a muscle base then on a fat base, much to the dismay of his family. Labeled a black sheep of the family, he was still much an Akimichi, but with much more build around the shoulders, chest, and thighs then his middle.

"Chouji-kun," Ino batted her eyes at him, arched her back to show off her breasts a little more, and grazed her fingers along the curve of her hip, "do you have plans after-"

"Not interested, Ino-san," Chouji was handing plates out to all his friends, receiving thanks after serving them. "Ayame-hime and I have plans at my house with my family and her father."

"You had dinner with her last night and the night before that!" Ino whined, hands fisted.

"Let it go, Ino," Tenten was already responding, hands flapping in a bored dismissive gesture.

"Ino, you're being troublesome." Shikamaru's drawl was punctuated by a lovely figured blonde girl that had her hair down and strong intelligent teal eyes. A small fan was tucked into the sash of her dark short black skirt. Shameless thigh high fishnet black stockings ended with black stilettos heels.

"Yes, please stop whining. You're making other blondes look bad."

"What was that?" she snapped, hands fisted and blue eye blazing.

Temari already hand her hand on the ornate fan at her sash, "Bring it, pig!"

"Everyone, please," Hinata called out firmly, hand raised to get their attention. "I don't think Naruto-kun would appreciate his friends fighting. Remember, that is why we're here. Lets just sit down and enjoy our time together."

The two blondes glared at each other for another moment, but it was Temari that had relented first. "She's right, Ino-san…we all need to relax."

She took that moment to salaciously slink onto Shikamaru's lap, cross her legs at him and feed him a sliver of beef. Temari turned her head pointedly at Ino, smiling victoriously at her. It was well known that Ino had pushed her team mates away many, many times over during the years Naruto and Jiraiya had been away, but to her dismay she had also lost interest in Sasuke after seeing how badly he had hurt Sakura. She let her cherry blossom friend carry the torch out of her respect for her deeper seeded feelings for him. Now, however, she was chasing civilians that no one could seem to match up to anyone of her friends or team mates.

Slumping grumpily next to Sakura, she took her drink, straw still in Sakura's mouth, and chugged it.

"Hey!" Sakura snapped, straw dangling from the side of her lips.

"Shut it, forehead," Ino grouched, flipping her long bang out of the way of her face.

"Temari, baby," Shikamaru drawled lazily, hand gliding up the length of her leg, "I need to get going for a moment. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Of course, Shika-kun." She pulled him into a very improper kiss that Ino make gagging noises to.

"Get a room, you two." Sakura waved off at them.

"Yes, and tell me which one it is so I can join in!" Anko grinned, eying Temari appreciatively.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru announced, but not without a blush and smirk. Temari watched him walk away with love in her eyes.

"How good is he?" Anko leaned over Temari's shoulder and grinned.

"Better then you'll ever know." Temari looked back up at the special jounin in challenge.

"I was Orochimaru's apprentice. I know a lot." Anko responded unphazed.

"Enough, geez!" Sakura groaned in annoyance.

Temari and Anko gave each other a knowing look. "She's not getting any." They said at the same time, laughing.

Tenten looked away with a blush.

"Tenten-chan!" Hinata gasped, scandalized.

She bit her lip, but looked back with guilty eyes. She folded her hands in front of her, but did not deny it. "After you had all the branch members become equals with the main house, he really changed, Hinata-sama."

Hinata frowned. "Don't call me that, Tenten-chan. I told you not to."

"I can't help it. You don't know how much you changed Neji-kun…you don't know how happy he is and how much he does little things like smiles, laughs…he tells me he loves me and that he's happy that when …well…"She blushed again, pulling out a necklace from her blouse and saw the beautiful diamond engagement ring it was attached to. The girls around the tables were in full squeal and questions. She closed her eyes and accepted all their praise and congratulations with a rare warmth.

A small tear came from her eyes that she rubbed away with the heel of her hand. "You did it, Hinata-sama. You made my dream come true by helping Neji get rid of the caged bird seal amongst your family. I'm not the only one who feels like this. He said that after we get married, we can have kids and they won't have that...seal...you should have seen his face when he said that, Hinata-sama."

Hinata blinked back her own tears, "I'm so glad he has finally found peace and happiness, especially with you, Tenten-chan."

"He also found something inside himself that he is too proud to tell you himself, Hinata-sama…" Tenten reached across the table and gripped Hinata's hand. "He found his nee-chan."

Hinata's choked gasp and blurry eyed tears was enough for the two girls to scoot out of the bench and embrace.

"You're going to be my nee-chan!" Hinata announced in realization.

"I am, aren't I?" Tenten covered her mouth with the reality.

"Gah, you two go sit down." Kiba waved off at them, heading away towards the back of the club with a toothy smile.

"Where are you going, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun?" Hinata asked as she settled herself back onto the seat with Tenten next to her.

"We were asked to assist with some of the stage equipment for the band about to perform. We came by to make sure you were not accosted. Now that you're fine, it is best we get back to work." Shino droned, but bowed slightly to everyone as he left.

"Ja!" Kiba walked off with him, Akamaru padded over to Hinata, sitting down on his haunches next to her and rested his jowls on her lap. She carefully scratched at his ears and neck with familiar affection. He panted with pleasure.

Anko was the first to look around and notice the obvious. "What the hell is taking all the boys so long?"

"What?" Temari glanced around and frowned.

"I'll go check on them!" Chouji called out, and disappeared in the crowd of people starting to settle at tables. The drinks were getting topped off followed by the sound of the speakers getting turned on and the feedback getting controlled by some sound engineer.

The lights darkened and a few stage lights turned on, but not enough to show anything more then dark silhouettes on stage.

"Hello, my beautiful team mates! This will be a glorious time to show our fires of youth!" Lee ducked next to Tenten and Hinata with a huge smile. For a ninja, he was doing a poor job of hiding a small package behind his back.

"What are you hiding?" Temari raised an inquisitive eye to him.

He just smiled back, but shook his head. "I'm not allowed to tell."

"What's this band called anyways?" Ino grumped, stirring her drink with a straw without enthusiasm.

"I know, I know!" Lee called out, raising his hand. "They're called The 4th's Legacy."

"The 4th's Legacy?" Sakura called out, unsure why that tugged at something in her mind.

A guitar solo started from the stage, bringing the crowd and chatter down. Strings were picking off a melody that drew everyone's attention to the left side of stage.

((A/N have this song play over and over while you're reading. I found that it goes so well with this part of the story. **you*tube** put this in the search XyQDkMwjE1U ))

When a spotlight lit up, Kiba was there, standing alone with a guitar in his hands and eyes closed at the soothing melody.

A single bass boom from the back of the stage lit another spot light, Chouji had sticks in his hands and they were crossed over his bowed head, sitting behind a set of drums…A spot lit glared not long after, the singer's deeply slow, husky voice carried out over the crowd…

_**This time…this place,**_

_**Misused…mistakes...**_

Something in the back of Hinata's mind churned...she knew something about that voice...but it wasn't so much the deep masculine tone, because she never heard it before, at least not with it in song...but the growing earnest timbre.

The stage lights started to brighten, the main singer and his two backups becoming visible enough to know where they were, but not who they are.

_**Too long…too late**_

_**Hinata…**_

The main singer looked straight at her, voicing her name calm and strong...heart and soul mixed with guilt and sadness...

She shot her head up in confusion...unsure if she heard correctly. The very next words brought her hand to her lips and a pant to her breathing.

_**Who was I to make you wait?**_

Two stage lights lit up were two boys, Neji and Shikamaru standing next to the main singer with microphones in their hands. they eyes were closed to the heartfelt song they sang not for themselves, but for the man that was singing to her...They sang together as a united front, helping him give words and song just like he helped them so many times over the years.

**_Just one chance..._**

**_Just one breath..._**

**_Just in case there's just one left..._**

**_Cause you know…you know…you know…!"_**

They knew that voice…they knew that voice like they knew his personality, his dreams, his favorite food, and his reputation that he worked so hard to accomplish and eventually achieve. In a flash of light, the main singer was lit from dark pant legs to orange net shirt with a fire symbol right over his heart. Blonde hair spiker, longer, up to his shoulder blades long gave him a wild appearance, enhanced more so by the three whisker marks on each cheek...but it was his eyes...

Their eyes met and he looked straight at her, through the girls who were surrounding her and cheering wildly above the sound of the song. It was Sakura's loud cheer,"It's Naruto!" that made Hinata get up and walk entranced towards the stage with shaky steps. He pointed right at her, eyes fiercely proud of what he was going to say in front of everyone.

**_I love you_**

**_I loved you all along_**

Hinata's hand went to her heart, the aching build of so many years shattering blissfully to what she had always known what was inside her now rewarded with such an amazing glory of his very loud, very public, and, very sincere proclamation.

**_And I missed you_**

**_been far away for far to long_**

There was no need to explain how long or how far Naruto went away from his friends, his family of strangers that had embraced him...and, especially, the girl who had always, always watched him and found strength in him. He closed his eyes and held his hand over his heart, a pained anguish making his lips curl with it's raw sincerity.

**_I keep dreaming_**

**_you'll be with me and never go_**

**_I'll stop breathing if I don't see you anymore._**

Kiba's picked off another solo as Naruto walked off the stage with his mic in his hands. Blue eyes staring back at disbelieving lavender ones, he looked down at her with a warm smile.

"You look beautiful, Hinata-hime." He said in his deep, masculine voice.

Hinata's mouth moved, but no words came out. Slowly, like some dream she had envisioned many, many times over, he was kneeling, and then put the mic to his lips.

**_On my knees...I'll ask... _**

**_one last chance for one last dance_**

**_cause with you... I'd withstand all of hell to hold your hand..._**

He reached out, palm up in asking for her permission. She slid her fingers through his without hesitation, her other hand straying up to her eyes as tears formed. She knew all to well of his hell that he spoke of. How many times had she been there and watched him to afraid to get in the middle of it? How many times did she eventually get the courage to fight with him, bleed with him, share victories together, share defeats together, loose friends together...He stood up slowly and smiled at her, cherishing her with his words...

**_I've give it all, give for us, give anything  
_**

**_but I won't give up_**

Naruto never did...at anything he put his mind to.

**_Cause you know, you know, you know.....!_**

He gripped her possessively around her waist, earning a squeak. She gripped his shirt at his front when he leaned down, pressing his mass of blonde hair on her forehead, eyes closed, and murmured powerfully, strong enough that she could feel his words vibrate from his heart into her own.

**_I love you!_**

**_I loved you all along_**

**_and I missed you, _**

**_been far away for far to long_**

**_I kept dreaming_**

**_you'll be with me and you'll never go_**

**_stop breathing if I don't see you anymore._**

His breathing was labored, but not from the singing. He was afraid, he was scared. He looked at her with all his emotions and vulnerabilities exposed to her...he was deliberately putting himself out there for her to accept or to destroy.

She never felt like this...never ever could imagine she could feel like this...there were no words, no reality, no dream this perfect for her to believe what he was saying, what he was doing was real. Her dreams were never this vivid...this hopeful...this rewarding.

She reached up and touched his face, pushed his hair from his eyes.

He pushed his head to her cool hands, nuzzling himself against her touch. She blushed...the reality of what was happening caught up and her blush turned a very beautiful rose.

Neji and Shikamaru were singing a chorus as they shared that very intimate, though very public display.**_  
_**

**_so far away_**

**_so far away_**

**_been far away for far away for far to long_**

**_so far away_**

**_so far away_**

**_been far away for far away for far to long_**

He cupped the back of her neck, combing his fingers through her hair and tracing the shell of her ear with his thumb...he only had eyes for her. He continued....

**_But you know, you know, you know...!_**

**_I wanted..._**

**_I wanted you to stay..._**

**_because I needed..._**

**_I needed to hear you say..._**

His voice broke...he was begging...seeking the reality that he had hoped was true...reaching for a desire he felt was impossible, but strived for anyways.

**_that I love you..._**

**_I love you_**

**_I loved you all along_**

The shake of her head was almost scolding...did he still not know, she wondered.

**_and I forgive you for being away for far to long..._**

**_So keep breathing, cause I'm not leaving you anymore..._**

She curled herself into his chest, closed her eyes, and cherished this moment as it was, as it was happening...it wasn't real, it couldn't be real...however if it was happening, it was, in this reality, still happening and she was going to live in it as long as she could.

**_Believe it!_**

**_Hold onto me and never let me go_**

**_Keep breathing, cause I'm not leaving you anymore_**

**_Believe it! _**

**_Hold onto me and never let me go_**

**_Keep breathing_**

**_hold onto me and never let me go!_**

**_Keep breathing_**

**_Hold onto me and never let me goooooo......_**

When the song came to an end, there was absolutely silence.

The two were holding each other tightly as if they were just moments away from dying and that was all that was keeping them alive...They breathed in tandem, they possessively clung till she felt his fingers on her chin, turning her so she could look at him.

"Do you forgive me, Hinata-hime...for being such a baka and not seeing you as you have always been..and for leaving and loving you and being...afraid...to say it, to show it for all this time?"

Words failed her, she just nodded vigorously. Her hand went to her lips as tears finally fell in abandon. Lee reached between them and handed Naruto the box.

The whole group was there, watching in dreaded anticipation.

"My Hina-hime," he opened it and the insides sparkled with a very modest, but very beautiful silver and gold ring. He exhaled nervously, hands trembling. "I saw this and I couldn't think of anything that could symbolize you and I any better...I think of the silver in your eyes and the gold heart that I've always known you have. Please, my Hina-hime...my dearest, my most precious person...I beg you...with all my heart, my faults, my dreams, and my future...Share them with me...please, as my wife?"

"Y-you're...b-eg-ging...me?" Hinata tapped her fingers..a habit she had not done in many years.

He took her hands in his, kissing her knuckles and nodding solemnly.

"Please, Hina-"

"Yes! Yes, please, let me marry you!" She threw herself at him, hugging him fiercely, powerfully...knocking him on the ground and kissing him with a fervor that brought everyone to their feet. Taking a breath, they both watched as he slipped the ring on her finger, marking the start of their union that was very, very, _VERY_ long overdue.

The uproar of applause was soon shattered by the large puffs of smokes as Henge's all around disappeared and was soon surrounded by fellow Leaf Nins, foriegn nins from Sand, family members, and...

"Hyuuga Hinata," Hiashi's voice silenced everyone in the room, staring down at the girl who had just stopped kissing Naruto.

She stood up, eyes already protective and defiant.

"Would you mind explaining what the Hyuga Clan Head is doing at such a public place acting as shamelessly as you are?"

Before anyone could react, most of which looked like a mass rush to strangle the Hyuga Lord, it was Tsunade's voice the broke the throng and parted for her.

"I agree, Lord Hiashi," she stood before Naruto and Hinata with her arms over her very ample bosom...but winked at them with a smile she knew Hiashi couldn't see.

"Oh?" Hiashi did not take his eyes off his eldest daughter. It was well known that Hiashi and Tsunade had not saw eye to eye on many things...especially when it came to Hinata's desire to be with the village piraha.

"The heir to the Namikaze name, estates, and privileges is acting rather shamelessly in front of others," She announced loud so that anyone even outside the club could hear it. There was a collective gasp as everyone realized what she had just said.

In the back of the club, Ino could be heard shooting off at Sakura, "You could have had him, too, Forehead."

Sakura buried her head under her hands with a plaintive, soul piercing wail. "It's not true...it can't be!"

Hiashi seemed about to say something, but he couldn't make a sound. He just looked from Naruto to Tsunade, unable to think of any rebuttal that seemed appropriate.

"You're...Namikaze, not Uzumaki, Naruto-kun?" Hiinata touched his face with the tips of her fingers, a smile growing.

"Yeah, Hina-hime," he pressed his cheek into her hands, unafriad to show how much her touch meant to him.

"You found your father, I'm so glad!"

It was for that reason, and many like that Naruto knew he found the one since before his many misadventures. Hinata had not been excited that he was part of the proud linage of the Hokage's, the wealth, status, anything...just that he found his father, someone of his family, his past that had always been a mystery to him and someone that meant he could put together a part of his past.

"Uzumaki was my mother, Hinata-chan," He held her tight, relishing the sigh of bliss that seemed to come from years of neglected expectations.

"Kushina," Hiashi exhaled, remembering.

Hinata and Naruto turned to him, shocked. "You knew my mother?"

Hiashi wasn't looking at him, but back in his own past. In a rare show of emotion, he looked away and tapped his fingers...a habit no one could have believed that Hinata had picked up from. "It was never clear back then what her last name was, because she was from a different village. During the third Ninja wars, Minato-sama was frowned upon because he had favored a woman that was not from our own village, but that from another. We all knew he loved her, because he never took another woman to his home or every openly displayed his love for anyone else. Still," he turned to Tsunade, as if remembering a point," that does not make him a Namikaze, unless one can prove they were actually married."

Naruto frowned over Hinata's head at her father.

"It doesn't matter to me, Naruto-kun, I'm just happy that you want me." Hinata said quietly, looking up at him with her large lavender eyes.

"Actually," Tsunade called with her hand out expectantly to Shizune,"I have something for you to read."

Shizune placed a scroll in Tsunade's hands, which she offered to Hiashi.

When he opened it, he read out loud after frowning, "This says that Namikaze Naruto has been selected as the Sixth Hokage by the Clan Heads, current Fifth Hokage, Fire Diyamo, Water Diayamo, Princess of the Land of Snow, Family Elder's of the Village of the Hidden Star, Princess of the Land of Vegetables, Kazekage in the Land of Wind: Gaara, Land of Tea Diyamo, and...Third Hokage?"

"I'm...what?" Naruto dropped his hands from touching Hinata's face, to look up at Hiashi.

"Oh, silly me, that was the wrong scroll," Shizune said with eyes closed in mischief, handing Hiashi another scroll.

He took one look at it and his posture broke. "Marriage license and certificate of authenticity granted by the Third Lord Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Witnesses include: Jiraiya, Tsunade, Shizune, Hanzo...Hanzo?"

"Yeah, I thought it was interesting that he didn't make mention of that either,"Tsunade smirked, with her hands on her hips. "Keep reading."

Hiashi frowned, but continued amidst of everyone still remaining silent over the news," Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane...the Elders...that recognize the union of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

He rolled up the scrolls and handed them back to Tsunade with bow of respect, something no one has ever seen him do so openly.

She accepted with a polite bow as well.

Jiraiya appeared from behind her, with a drink in one hand. "I was there? Was that when you and I...?"

He never got to finish the sentence...That part of the bar had always needed a skylight.

"Hyuga Hinata," he still called out, his voice as authoritative as ever.

"Hai, Oto-sama," Hianta could not keep the ingrained discipline from her voice.

"The Clan Head could not do better then finding a boy, no..." He took in Naruto with his Hyuga eyes, that saw everything...including someone who loved on such a level he could not comprehend, "...a man that is a Namikaze and the future Hokage. If everyone from these villages, diayamo's, and Kage's see him as you have always seen him, then I think that it says a lot for the journey that our family, our village, and the two of you will have. You have my blessing...daughter."

He reached out and rubbed her head warmly.

"Daddy..."

She hugged him as she had always wanted to, years upon years of discipline and fear released with that simple joy of holding onto the man she had always wanted to be accepted by...and now it came, not just because of her own personal accomplishments, but by the man who she always, always loved...and have always loved her back.

"Namikaze-sama?" Hanabi came out from behind Hiashi and look up at him with that one stray lock of hair between her eyes.

He knelt down in front of her, "Yes, Hanabi-chan?"

"Are you my Ni-san, now?"

He shrugged, giving her his best smile. "Not yet, but I look forward to it."

She analyzed him up and down, then nodded with acceptance. "Me too, Namikaze ni san."

"Hanabi, come. We must get things prepared for the dinner tonight." he walked away, taking the path of parted bodies that separated in front of him. Before he reached the door that was opened for him, he called out over his shoulder, "I knew your father and your mother very well, Namikaze Naruto. I would like to tell you more about him. Make sure he is dressed accordingly, Hinata."

"Hai!" she chirped.

"Good. I expect the Hyuga Clan Head to be an excellent wife to the next Hokage."

When he left, the cheers that sounded and stories told were recorded in history to be read for generations to come.

No questions were being answered as Hinata and Naruto pushed their way through the throng, avoiding everyone who wanted to wish them well, buy them a drink, and apologize to Naruto...this was not the time, nor ther moment.

When they reached the top of the Hokage Monument, the simply held each other in a much needed quiet that seemed to fill the emptiness in both of them that had been growing for so long.

The sky filled with stars shooting across the moon lit sky in a hail of beauty.

"They say if you wish upon a star, it will come true, Hina-hime."

She didn't look at them, but at him...always at him.

"I don't want to make a wish, Naruto-kun," She reached up and kissed him, something she has always wanted to do since way to long. "Let other's have my stars from here on out. I have all I ever need with you."

He breathed her in, moaning with pleasure at the taste of her. "As you wish, my Hina-hime."

"So...you really want to marry me?" She asked again, looking away with a furious blush.

He nuzzled her close to him, "...over and over again, my Hina-hime. I love you."

"I've...always loved you, my Naruto-kun, and I forgive you for being away from me." She pressed her wet cheek against his chest.

When he held her, it was as friend, boyfriend, betrothed, future husband, and father to their children.

"I will always be here for you, Hina-hime...now, forever and ever...believe it."

The End.

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Disclaimer: The song is from Nickleback: Far Away.

I don't own Naruto or the song...I wish I did, though.


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